The Museum Shop Brushstrokes collection. -- Banks of the Seine at Asnieres Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1841-1919 -- Renoir's Impressionism is that of a happy, contented man. We feel none of the artist's labors ~ only his sunny success. His mastery of color was seemingly effortless ~ outstanding even among the Impressionists. The warmth that pervades his paintings came from within, as much as from this play of sunlight. The exact setting for this picture has not been identified, but it probably shows the River Seine at Chatou, to the west of Paris. Renoir painted a number of 'open air' boating scenes on the Seine during the 1870s. In this example, the orange hue of the skiff against the blue of the river exploits the use of complementary colours. Since blue and orange are opposites on the colour scale, they become more intense when they are juxtaposed. The original oil hangs in the National Gallery in London, England. Brushstrokes® masterpieces offer an affordable way to give the gift of art or expand your collection.